Photonics Spectra, February 1990, pp. 147, 148, 150, discloses an optical connector having a plunger to force resilient spheres into a constriction within a connector body. The spheres undergo compression and deformation around an optical fiber to clamp the fiber in the connector body. A rear of the plunger clamps radially on a buffer covering the fiber.
A known connector disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,351 comprises a hollow connector body, a deformable insert having a central bore for receiving an optical fiber, and the insert is axially forced into a constriction in the hollow connector body to close the sidewall of the bore evenly upon the circumference of the optical fiber, whereby the optical fiber is frictionally retained in the bore and is concentrically aligned within the hollow body, and the insert is frictionally retained in the hollow body.
The known connector of the patent utilizes a cover and a ram tool for driving the cover into an open end of the hollow body. The cover and the ram enter the hollow body to drive the insert into the constriction. The ram is then withdrawn from the hollow body.